


My Dad: Richard Castle

by a_q



Category: Castle
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-19
Updated: 2009-12-19
Packaged: 2017-10-04 15:30:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/31764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_q/pseuds/a_q





	My Dad: Richard Castle

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goodisrelative](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodisrelative/gifts).



The first thing you need to know about my dad is, he's loyal. I mean the shaggy sheepdog -type of loyal, the best kind; he will never leave your side when you need him the most. I've known this about him my whole life. Even before I understood what the word 'loyal' means, I just knew there was something special about my dad that had nothing to do with his tendency to cling to the limelight.

I'm not sure if Beckett realizes he has this quality. She is smart and strong but sometimes she is a bit blind to the things closest to her. Granted, many people are blind like that, but she is especially good at it. For example, I don't think she realizes how much her team relies on her. Or how much my father needs her leadership.

See, the other thing you need to know about dad is that, like a sheepdog, he needs a strong leader, someone who is worthy of his deep loyalty. I believe Beckett has what it takes. She is confident enough to let dad play his puppy games when he needs to, but strong enough to warn him when he is about to cross the line.

Let me give you an example. Today I was having lunch with some girls from French class when the speakers blared my name, calling me to the Headmaster's Office. My heart skipped a few beats – I knew I had done nothing, and the stuff I had done, well, didn't quite call for a stern talking to. (We might have been passing notes in physics class, but hey, that goes with the territory). It was dad, I just knew it.

When I walked into the Headmaster's Office, Kate was there waiting for me. The headmaster was wearing his usual nondescript expression but Kate had a definite strained look in her eyes. I was immediately alarmed. She got that look when dad pushed too many of her buttons at once and she started contemplating how to clonk him unconscious and make it look like an accident.

"Is dad okay?" I tried to keep it cool but my voice was shrill with panic. I won't lie to you, this was straight from my worst nightmare: some deranged criminal shot my dad and Kate was here to break the news. I've had this fear since dad started working with the team. He thinks he is bulletproof, but just because he thinks it, doesn't make it so. I learned that lesson when I was five, dad is still working on it.

"There had been a slight...accident." Kate explained. She had a strange look in her eyes. She didn't seem very worried so that calmed me down a bit – if dad was seriously hurt, Kate would be upset.

"So is he fine? No body parts loose or bullet holes or something really bad like that?"

"No no, just a little...bump in the head. He is in a hospital getting checked. I wanted to come get you myself."

The headmaster gave me a permission to skip the afternoon classes, so I got my bag from the lockers and Kate took me to the car.

"What is really going on?" I asked while we slid through the afternoon traffic. Kate seemed much more fixated on driving than was necessary. If there was nothing serious going on, it had to be something embarrassing, but why would dad ask for me if it was embarrassing?

"Did he do something stupid? Something more stupid than usual? Did he call you 'Nikki' all day?"

"That wouldn't land him in the hospital."

"Really?"

"Nope. I know how to keep him in line without excessive smacking."

See what I mean? She doesn't let dad's puppy dog eyes distract her. I liked her more and more, even considering that she was dodging my questions.

"Kate, please tell me what is going on."I used my Serious Voice because this is an emergency. It works every time. The Serious Voice stops dad in his tracks, makes grandma put down her drink, and makes a whole class shut up. I am my father's daughter and can get rapt attention when I wish. I never use my powers for evil though.

"Alright, but promise not to be too hard on him? He really was pretty heroic this time. He didn't need to step in the way of..."

"What? It can't be that bad! Just say it, you're scaring me!"

"We were getting ready to bust someone and, like always, he wouldn't listen when I told him to stay back. The suspect made a run for it, your dad was in the way, and the woman smacked him in the head with a frozen chicken."

"...A what?"

"Frozen chicken. It's like being hit with a brick, really. So he was a bit disoriented, had a nasty gash from the drumstick. I took him to the hospital. They said he has a concussion. He kept fidgeting, and whining and badgering the nurses, so I thought if you sit with him, he might rest like he's supposed to."

I didn't know how to react. There was nothing funny about head trauma, we just learned that in a biology class, but a frozen chicken? That was pretty weird, even for my dad.

When we arrived, Kate led me through the hospital maze into a private room. Dad was sitting in the bed, surrounded by two nurses who were giggling at his jokes like school girls. When he noticed me, he smiled like there was nothing wrong, even with the big bandage on his head proved otherwise. Kate's presence seemed to remind the nurses that they had some work to do and they hurried outside.

"Things must be bad if you're missing school, kiddo."

"I came to see a man about a chicken."

"She told you, huh? Pretty cool, right?"

I gave him one of my stern looks, but he just had to lift the edge of the bandage to give me a glimpse of the stitching underneath.

"See this? It's going make a great battle scar, don't you think?"

"Sure dad. The tale will live on, don't worry. Would you leave the bandage alone and lay down please? You should rest if you have a concussion."

But dad was on a goofing spree and he kept making cracks about how he had single handedly saved the day from the attack of the subzero poultry. I had no impact on him, and even Kate's disapproving frowns went unnoticed. Eventually he began to insist that we should get him out of here, him being the hero and all.

"Castle…"

"This hospital gown is cramping my style! Besides, a little smack from a cold chick has never forced me into bed rest before."

_"Castle."_

Her tone clearly signaled that dad had used his leeway for the day. The authority was unmistakable and dad relaxed visibly when she used that tone. I flicked the television on, and when Kate was satisfied that dad was just going to watch shows with me, not plan any more shenanigans tonight, she left to go back to work. When she was gone, dad told me about the case and described in vivid detail the events leading up to the chicken smack. Dad spun the tale like only he knew how and in the end, he turned out to be the hero of the piece. I smiled and agreed; dad had bravely taken one for the team.


End file.
